Still a citizen? Experiences from people living with early-stage dementia in remote areas
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7557/14.7456Keywords:
person with dementia, dementia early-stage, social actor, inclusion, citizen, rural areasAbstract
Our study shows how people with dementia in rural areas are experiencing various factors which affect their ability to engage in relationships and participate in society. The interviews with eight informants were summarized in five main themes pointing at different areas of importance for the informants' independence and control of life. These are: Factors which affect the ability to be mobile and travel independently (1), the ability to manage one's own financial matters (2), the ability to participate in informal arenas (3), the ability to participate in the working and social life (4), and factors that can promote independence and participation in general (5). Our findings show that various digital factors may limit participation: Among other things, informants experience that a complicated login to online banking may prevent the disposal of the informants' own money. Also, complicated graphical interfaces in social media may make it difficult to communicate with friends and family. Such difficulties may contribute to a deterioration of the condition of such individuals, with more exclusion as the result. Based on this study, we argue that the proper digital accommodation and facilitation are important measures to improve access to digital social arenas, with the ultimate goal to reduce digital exclusion.
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